New State Pension
The radical new state pension was announced a few years ago. A flat rate for all, of £151/week to simplify the pension system and to save having to employ all those pesky civil servants.
Turns out that it wasn't all that straight forward.
They said that you would need 35 years of NI contributions to get it. But they didn't say that they have to be 'contracted in' contributions. But surely, you say, a 'contracted out' contribution costs only a bit less than a 'contracted in' contribution?
(about 80% of the cost on average).
So how come 38 years of 'contracted out' contributions will only get my wife about £0.90/week extra pension, instead of the expected £40/week?
Following on from having 6 years of state pension 'stolen' (and another year stolen from me) is this a step too far?